EDMONTON, AB - It's been done before.
And it's happening again.
Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan shuffled his lines at practice on Monday, reuniting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the first line while Drake Caggiula rounded out the trio from the left side.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkin centred Tobias Rieder and Alex Chiasson, and Ryan Strome skated up the middle alongside Milan Lucic and Ty Rattie on the third unit with Cooper Marody taking second reps at pivot on it.
The fourth line of Kyle Brodziak, Jujhar Khaira and Zack Kassian remained intact.
"it's just a little switch," said Draisaitl, who has 10 goals and 17 points in 17 games, following practice. "It has worked in the past and hopefully it gives us a spark."
Regardless of the complexion of the lines, Draisaitl said the whole team, beginning with the individual, must be better going forward to break the current four-game funk.
"It's not so much about changing lines or me and Connor playing together, it's a matter of individuals working hard and playing their game," he added. "I don't think it really matters what line you're on."
BLOG: Oilers lines get shuffled
Draisaitl and Caggiula flanked McDavid at Monday's practice; Nugent-Hopkins centred Rieder and Chiasson
© Chris Wescott
